Wadi El Gemal National Park Protectorate - Marsa Alam

Wadi El Gemal National Park Protectorate - Marsa Alam near Hamata

Wadi el Gamal protected area near Hamata in Egypt is a national park that covers an area of 60 km including the Wadi Gemal islands, red sea coast, coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangroves. The area has more than 450 species of corals and here over 1200 species of fishes can be found. The protectorate is where you can still find ibex and gazelles. The sea grass beds seem to be the habitat where you can find many engendered animals like Dugong, Dugong dugon, and Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, which nests on the coast and islands.

The start of Wadi Gemal has a fresh water stream that is flowing which joins with seawater forming a low salinity marsh that ideally supports reed beds and Dom palms. At the inside there the Balanites aegyptiaca, dominate; further inland is the Toothbrush Bush, Salvadora persica.

An ideal place for tourists

In order to attract more tourists to the place the same is being promoted largely for eco tourism and due to this privately owned eco lodge has already been built here, also a camp named El-Fustta has been set in the protectorate. Trips which exclusively aim at wildlife and bird watching and some popular camel trips are also organized by many tour operators here. At the park you can also witness prehistoric rock art that contains Ptolemaic and Roman ruin. Also the mountain Mons Smaragdus is the site of small mining communities which seem to have existed from the Pharaonic Egyptian era.

Natural wealth found here

About 17% of the marine life at Wadi Gemal is native to the Red sea. The islands are a breeding ground for 13 bird species and local sea grasses are important food source for some endangered species as well. Wadi el Gemal is one of the most celebrated and thriving national marine parks in Egypt and lies just to the north of Hamata and Berenice.

The park is also touted to be the largest nestling colony of the sooty falcon on globe. The rich wealth of coral reefs found here is speculated to be the most amazing one in the world in terms of abundance of life and diversity of species.

More about Wadi El Gemal Protectorate

The area is said to have well known to the pharaohs who based their great wealth on the treasure mined in these mountains. During the Ptolemaic period, elephants which were captured in Africa were brought to the Park that were then used in military campaigns. These land routes were vital, as it was very tough to sail north against the Red Sea’s prevailing winds, and hazardous to navigate its coral reefs and shoals. The traders and travelers of the region left a legacy of unique antiquities, many of which are still being discovered today. The area is inhabited by pastoral people, The Ababda who still maintains their traditional lifestyle.

The area of the Wadi el Gemal today is well protected by a series of strict environmental laws and conservation organizations.